Belle Danse
by emeralds in ebony
Summary: ONE SHOT: She just wanted someone to take away all her pain. He seemed to accept her plea and take her in. In one swift, slow dance a bond was formed that could possibly last for a lifetime.


**Belle Danse**

**H**ermione gave herself one last look in the mirror, before she decided to head down to the party. The dress she wore showed off how her body really was, which she usually hid in her baggy clothes. The black gown was stunning. It was just long enough to cover her legs and reach her ankles.

Her eyes traveled up and became fixed on her face. She had barely any makeup. A little mascara and lip gloss did the trick for her. But her frown wouldn't be going anywhere.

In the dormitory all the girls had gone down already and Hermione was left alone, without any company, to get down to the Great Hall to celebrate her last day at Hogwarts. She was sure it would be her last day in the wizarding world as well. Besides, she didn't have anyone or anything left to stay for.

Her head was spinning and she sat down on the side of her bed. She shut her eyes tightly and couldn't help but see the scenes right in front of her.

The war had taken away many lives. It had been during their sixth year in which Hermione lost the two people that she truly loved. Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, had actually not lived and was hit in the chest, with the same spell used on his parents. All of this happening while he tried to save Ginny Weasley. Ronald Weasley had passed on by receiving the deadly curse when he jumped in front of Hermione to block her from the power of Lucius Malfoy.

Surprising, what a person does for love. After that, Hermione had not been the same. It was good that she wasn't at St. Mungo's this very moment.

But odd enough, the Light Side had won; with the help of Draco Malfoy. The Slytherin had actually risked his life in order to save the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, and by doing so, he freed the wizarding world of Lord Voldemort.

It had taken Hermione a lot of time to get over the numerous amount of deaths. She remembered waking up every night screaming either one of her friends' names. She had grown apart of their lives and without seeing those amazing emerald eyes, or looking upon that fluff of red hair, Hermione found herself wasted away. She didn't have anyone else to run to.

Ginny Weasley had lost a piece of her heart from the love of her life dying and in return she got ruined. She erased the idea that there was an existing Harry Potter. Over the year, Ginny had gotten used to the idea and her heart had opened up again to Neville Longbottom.

Hermione felt happy for her friend for that reason, but couldn't help but think she was a traitor. She forgot about her loved one and yet, Hermione still had a long time to forget any of it.

There were many more who had gone, in order to help the Light Side. Lavender Brown, Padma Patil, Dean Thomas, Cho Chang, Hannah Abbot, and Luna Lovegood were only some to name.

Hermione's heels clicked on the floor when she made her way down the stone steps of the Gryffindor Common Room. Quietly, she slipped through the portrait hole and walked down the corridor heading to the Great Hall.

A soft melody reached her ears before she opened the big oak doors leading inside. She took a deep breath and let it out before she opened the door carefully. Inside, she spotted a lot of students dancing; all seventh years like her. Everyone seemed to be entranced by their partner and Hermione couldn't help but realize she didn't have a partner this night. If only she did.

The music changed to a fast one and all the couples on the dance floor changed their ctyle in order to fit with the beat. Hermione walked to a far table in the corner by the punch bowl and sat herself down. No one else was at the table. They all seemed to be having a good time, enjoying themselves.

It seemed as if the Great War had not affected these people's lives at all.

A tear threatened to fall down her cheek, but Hermione controlled herself. She would be sure of not letting anyone getting a show today.

She was fighting over the thought of staying when Parvati Patil came over to her and tugged on her arm. "Hermione, come on. Dance with the rest of us."

Hermione shook her head and failed to smile. "It's all right. I'm doing just fine sitting here."

But Parvati didn't need to listen. She pulled Hermione up by the arm and started dragging her all the way to the dance floor, hearing Hermione protest the whole way.

"Hermione," Parvati cut her off. "When are you ever going to let go?"

Hermione, finding this a hard conversation, crossed her arms and let her chin out. "Never."

Parvati sighed loudly and shook her head. "Well, you really need to."

They were a couple feet away from the dance floor when Hermione strided back over to her table. Parvati followed. Hermione went over to the punch bowl and poured herself some. Parvati didn't want any and cut to the chase.

"Hermione," Parvati started. "I know how you feel -"

"No," Hermione stated calmly. "You don't."

"Hey," Parvati frowned. "I lost someone close to me, too." She was referring to her twin sister.

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but you don't live your life knowing that people have forgotten about her. It seems as if everyone has forgotten about the heroes."

"Harry and Ron wouldn't want you to be acting this way." This was the first time in over a long year had Hermione finally heard another soul utter her friends' names.

Hermione took a sip of her punch and set it down on the table. "At least they died for what they believed," she heard Parvati say.

"Parvati," Hermione finally said. She turned to the other Gryffindor and sighed. "I'm tired of waking up every morning and knowing that I will never see their cheerful faces again. It hurts to know that we won't have another adventure. It is the worst thing to feel. Can you imagine how much it hurts?"

Parvati nodded. "Only enough."

Hermione was just about to sit down when Parvati held her still. "Please dance then? Dance your troubles away."

Hermione was just about to protest when Parvati spoke again. "For Ron and Harry."

Hermione was caught in the middle of what she did not and did want to do. After a few moments, she gave in. "Fine."

Parvati gave her a smile, while walking her to the dance floor. Hermione didn't even remember how to dance. The last time she had danced on the dance floor in the Great Hall was the Yule Ball when she went with Viktor Krum.

Tears were urging to fall down her face as Parvati moved her body and motioned for Hermione to follow. She tried, but didn't find it exciting. The fast rhythm was not making her feel safe and happy. She only felt like breaking down and weeping.

"Dance!" Parvati shouted over the music and Hermione tried once more. Just before she was going to give up, an arm sneaked around her waist and pulled her close. Parvati saw the culprit and decided to leave it alone. She glided over to her other friends as Hermione looked up and saw a man with enticing blue eyes.

"Malfoy," she said, with a voice as cold as a sheet of ice.

Draco looked down at the young lady in his arms and said, "Lovely to see you, too, Granger."

"Please, let me go." Hermione tried pulling herself from his grasp, but found she couldn't. The fast music had now stopped and a more slower song had come up.

Draco pulled her closer. He whispered in her ear after bending low. "For this one night let's let our gaurds down and let what once was disappear. Dance with me. You'll find it due to your liking. Trust me...I'll make it worth your while."

His voice was a remedy to her pain and she didn't resist of giving in. She was in his grip and she knew it would be pretty hard to be out of Draco Malfoy's sight from now on. After all, he was all for everything she was against. Keyword: _was_.

Hermione held her hand up and let Draco take it carefully. He rested his other hand on her hip and perked up his ears to listen to the song.

_Knew you'd be here tonight  
So I put my best dress on  
Boy, I was so right_

Hermione rested her other hand firmly on his shoulder and was surprised to feel him shiver from her touch. She looked up into his eyes and for that one entire moment, it seemed as if time had stopped.

_Our eyes connected  
Now nothing's how it used to be  
No second guesses_

He led her on the dance floor, Hermione being too fazed about the mixed feelings she was feelings. She didn't feel this way for a long time and she had forgotten what it felt like to be in another person's arms. Even if it was an enemy's. All she knew was that she needed to be felt wanted.

_Track in on this feeling  
Pull, focus, close up you and me  
Nobody's leaving_

Hermione didn't notice the other people clear the dance floor as she was swept off her own feet. Draco's eyes never left hers and she found herself succumbing into his power. She knew he would win this. But for once in her life, she did not care.

His smirk broke their eye contact. "Enjoying yourself?" he asked silkily.

Hermione didn't let his lips faze her. "Yes, actually." Her lips twitched, but she held back the smile.

"Nothing changes," he said and Hermione didn't understand what he meant until his next move.

He directed her into a quick spin and spun her back into him. He put his arm back on her hip and left it to dwell there. His grisp was telling her that she could not leave out of this one. And somehow, she liked it.

_Got me affected  
Spun me 180 degrees  
It's so electric_

"No, nothing will change between us," Hermione said to him. He listened silently before moving fasted than she was used to. She was amazed at his dancing skills.

"Malfoy," she said, resisting a smile creeping up on her lips. He turned to her, intending her to question him. "Where did you learn how to dance like this?"

What he said next surprised her. "Less talk, Granger, and more dance."

_Slow down and dance with me  
Yeah, slow  
Skip a beat and move with my body  
Yeah, slow  
Come on and dance with me  
Yeah, slow  
Skip a beat and move with my body  
Yeah, slow_

Her eyes fell on her hand that was on his shoulder. She was too busy thinking to see a pair of blue eyes looking at her longingly. Her heart was beating twice as fast as usual and when she felt him loosen his grip on her waist, she looked up at him again.

With some strands of hair blocking his eyes from her view, she remembered something that she was hoping to block out from her view. That was usually how Ron looked at her in the beginning of sixth year. He had decided to grow his hair and most of it covered his face. His eyes weren't always visible to Hermione and she somehow knew that's what she was craving to see again. That was why when Draco shook his head, getting the strands out of his eyes' way, Hermione saw something too familiar.

_Don't wanna rush it  
Let the rhythm pull you in  
It's here so touch it_

The blue eyes looking back at her had something in them besides the loathing and hate she had grown accustomed to in the ordinary eyes of Draco Malfoy for the past seven years. The eyes held something unreadable to her, and for once, Hermione found herself speechless.

Her breath was caught in her throat when she sensed his movements lessening down a bit and letting her have her way with him. Hermione cast her eyelashes down and didn't dare look back at those eyes. This one dance was enough.

_You know what I'm saying  
And I haven't said a thing  
Keep the record playing_

It seemed as if he knew everything that was going on in her head. So when he talked to her about one single subject she hadn't expected to come out of his mouth, it took her by complete surprise.

"Granger," he whispered, and she saw that he had leaned down close to her right ear. She, too, leaned in and awaited his speech. "You don't need to be afraid."

Hermione leaned back out so fast that she wasn't sure if she would fall back from the force. The dance continued on, but her feelings were changing and how she felt, indeed.

"What did you say?" she whispered quickly.

"I know what you're thinking."

_Slow down and dance with me  
Yeah, slow  
Skip a beat and move with my body  
Yeah, slow  
Come on and dance with me  
Yeah, slow  
Skip a beat and move with my body  
Yeah, slow_

"And what does that mean, Draco Malfoy?"

Draco grinned from ear to ear and Hermione realized that he had shockingly white teeth. "See something you like?" he asked and she, for once, decided not to hide her emotions.

"Yes, but I don't know why." His grin was replaced with a smirk.

"That is because you can't deny me. You know what, Hermione?" That was the first time she had heard her name being whispered with so much passion in the last few months.

_Read my body language  
Take it down, down_

Her dress was starting to cling from her and she knew she would break if the song did not end soon. It was taking all her courage to stay and dance with him, not to mention her long-lasting pride. She gulped down and mustered all her will to ask to blond in front of her what he had meant.

_Slow down and dance with me  
Yeah, slow  
Skip a beat and move with my body  
Yeah, slow  
Come on and dance with me  
Yeah, slow  
Skip a beat and move with my body  
Yeah, slow_

"What?" she asked him, intrigued.

He leaned in close, his breath on her exposed neck. "You're so beautiful."

That sure slapped her mind off of all the reasons to despise him. She took her hand off his shoulder and tried to let go of his hand, but he wouldn't let her.

"Please don't run away," he said, his eyes begging her to stay.

She glanced around herself and saw the whole student body of seventh years watching her. For some unknown reason she saw Parvati aside from the rest with a glint in her eyes and a gentle smile on her face.

Hermione turned back to Draco and expected to see him laughing at her for being so foolish, but she didn't. She saw two eyes deepening and his face coming mere inches away from her own. She knew this couldn't be true.

"Mal-" she was caught off, but not with his harsh words, with his soft lips crashing against her own. She was drowning in emotions she had not experienced before, even when she had kissed Viktor Krum for the first time. She had realized she didn't love Viktor in fifth year, but had remained friends. Now this, this was a completely different story with a whole different outcome.

For the moment being, her eyes shut and she allowed her lips to be magicked upon. She enjoyed his taste and lost herself within his love or lust for her. Either was enough for her.

_Skip a beat and move with my body_

The song was coming down slowly and they had now stopped to a halt, but their kiss hadn't. This was opening up something totally unrecognizable to Hermione. She couldn't grasp the concept of ever loving her enemy. Or was he a former enemy? He had helped the Light Side out, after all. This was something Hermione was surely uncertain of.

_Skip a beat and move with my body  
Skip a beat and move with my body_

But when they both backed away from each other, hands still clasped together, Hermione did see something she was certain of in the Slytherin's eyes. It wasn't the childish love she had seen in Ron's eyes, nor the kind of brotherly love she had seen in Harry's. Neither was it the love she received from her parents, or the love that was reflected back from people she showed kindness to.

Somehow, she knew the look in his eyes was just like the meaning of true love. And she was helped realize this all in one beautiful dance.

_Slow..._


End file.
